Okay, let’s talk about this watch. I wanted to remake a Patek Philippe, specifically the Gondolo 7041R-001 model, just like the one on their official website. So, I jumped right in.
First, I gathered all the materials I thought I’d need. I mean, you can’t just start without the right stuff, right? I got some basic watchmaking tools, some metals that looked similar to what Patek uses, and a bunch of other bits and pieces I figured might come in handy.
Then, I started by taking apart an old watch I had lying around. This was just to get a feel for how things are put together. I carefully removed each part, one by one, making notes and taking pictures along the way. I didn’t want to mess up the real deal later on.
Next up, I tried to shape the metal pieces to look like the Gondolo. This was tough! I used some small files and a lot of patience. Filed a little, checked it against the pictures of the official watch, filed some more… you get the idea. It was a slow process, but I kept at it.
After shaping the case, I moved on to the dial. This part was really tricky. I practiced a few times on some scrap metal before I felt ready to try it on the actual piece. Even then, it took a few tries to get it looking somewhat decent.
- Cut out the basic shape of the dial.
- Tried to mimic the pattern from the Patek Philippe website. It was harder than it looks!
- Painted the dial after many attempts.
The movement was a whole other story. Since I couldn’t make a real Patek movement, I decided to use one from another watch that was kinda similar in size. I had to adjust it a bit to fit the new case, but eventually, I managed to get it in there.
Putting it all together was like solving a puzzle. I carefully placed each component, making sure everything lined up properly. It took some time and a lot of double-checking, but finally, it all came together.
The Final Result
Honestly, it’s not perfect. It doesn’t look exactly like the original Gondolo 7041R-001, but it’s kinda close. I learned a ton throughout this whole process. It’s way harder to make a watch than you might think, especially one as fancy as a Patek. I will keep trying though, and maybe the next time I’ll get it just right. This isn’t the end of my watchmaking journey. I learned much, and I plan to try it again.
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